Bumper



Nov. 20, 1928.

M. J. WILSON BUMPER Filed Aug: 26, 1927 i with a part'thereof in section.

amaze J. WILSON,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF KENMORE, OHIO.

BUMPER.

Application niea august 26, 1927. Serial- No. 215,654.

This invention relates to bumpers, and more particularly to bumpers for motor vehicles wherein the bumper attached tothe front or rear end, or both, of the vehicle will absorb S or cushion substantially all shocks occasioned by impact againstanobject, without damage.

to the bumper or vehicle,

It is the chief objectsof this invention to provide a vehicle bumper which will be simple 10 in construction, e'fiective' in operation, adapted for useswith various makes of vehicles, and

re uiresno upkeep after installation.

the accompanying drawings Flg. 1 sa perspectiveview front f the 1 end; of autumn vehicle, and a bumper embodying y invention in its preferred form attached thereto. 4 Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of thebum'p'er Referring to Fig. '1 of the drawing, on a motor vehicle of known construction towhich the bumper is secured, said bumper generally comprising a buffer-bar :11, a pair of spaced apartyielding members 12, 12 supporting the same, and respective brackets'13,13:secured to said yielding members and'to the opposite sides 0 the vehicle frame for securing bumpe structure to the latter. The buffer bar 11 maybe of any suitable construction bein herein shown as a rigid tubular structure- 'aving its end port-ions bent rearwardly and provided with end-caps 14, 14

.Each of the yielding'members carry the buffer-bar 11, preferablyeomprises a single strip of resilient-material such as tem cred steel, said strip being bent to general circular shape Wltll its endportio'n's over ap ing each' other, the overl mg end portion eingheld against the under ying end portion by means of a U-shaped clamp 15 having apertured ears through which asses a retainingbolt 16, said clamp and b0 being adapted to hold the structure in circular formation while permitting slidin movement 5 of the respective end ortions with relation to each other in a curvi inear-path... n

The overlyin end ortion of eachyieldl'ng member-12 is or'med with an integral, .outwardly extending loop or collar 17 connected m with the body. of the structure by parallel portions 18, 18, and the loops 17- of theres ctive yieldingmembers 12 accommodate the 'bufier-bar 11-which is clamped therem by nut and bolt cm'in'ectionsv 19, .19 passing through the respective parallelportions 18. As shown, the position of each loop 17 in the the 12, which" tion disposed in a vertical plane-and a ertured to receive bolts 20, 20 by which itis secured to the vehicle frame, its forward portion being bent so as to lie in a horizontal prises a unitary structure having a rear porplane and having its free end bifurcated and the parts thereof 21, 21 bent in opposite directionsand apertured to receive rivets 22, 22 or' the like by which the bracket 13 and the yielding member 12 are secured to each other. As is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the bracket 13 is not secured to the iyielding member 12 at a point diametrically opposite the bufferbar 17, indicated by the broken line- X X, but is oflset to one side thereof, being therein shown as above the line X-'X although permissibly it may be below said line.

The operation of the buinper will best be understood by considering that each yielding member 12 constitutes, in effect, a pair of overlapping leaf springs, the efl'ective length of each leaf being the distance from its point of attachment with the bracket 13 to itsfintersection with the diametric line X-X-ad aa cent the buffer-bar 17, where the forceof any impact is received. Since the bracket .13 and yielding member 12 are attached at a point which is offset from the diametric line X-X, it will be seen that one of the leaves of the yielding member is lon erthan the other, and therefore will be the 1st to flex under impact because of the greaterleverage. This results in relative movement of; the two leaves,

which because of the, arrangement of the same,,descr1bes a curvilinear, path. Thus dead center which might cause the leaves to Y circular members each" formed with an integral loop encircling said buffer-bar for supporting the same. 4 1 v 2. Abumper, as'defined in claim 1 and in eluding means for securing said yielding members to'a vehicle frame. p

3. In a bumper, the combination of a buffer-bar, and a yieldin member support ing the same, said yiel ing membercomrising arcuate spring leaves having overappmg freely movable end portions;

4. A bumper as defined in claim 3 in'v vhich said spring-leaves comprise the respective end portions of a single strip ofmaterial of generally circular formation. j y :5. In a bum er, the combination of a buffer-bar, a pair of yielding memberseach comprising a single strip of spring material arranged in generally circular formation with overla pmg end portions, oneof the latter inclu ing an integral loop in which the bufier-bar is mounted, and means for securing said yielding members to a vehicle frame.

6. In a bumper, the combination of a "bufl'er-bar, a pair of yielding su ports therefor, each of said supports embo ying arcuate overlapping spring leaves, clamping means enga mg said spring leaves for holding them toget er while permitting relative curvilinear longitudinal movement thereof, and means for securing said yielding supports to 'a vehicle frame.

7. A bumper as defined in claim 6 in which the spring leaves comprise the end portions of a unitary, generally circular strip of material.

8. In a bumper, the combination of a buffer-bar, a yielding support therefor embodying a pair of arcuate, overlapping sprin leaves having different efiective lengths, an

lengths determined by the position of the gttaching means with relation to the buffer- 10. In a bumper, the combination of -a buffer-bar, a pair of yielding generally circular members su porting said bar, said yielding members bein axially aligned on an'axis parallel tosai bar, and means for attaching said yielding members to a vehicle frame,sa id attaching means being secured to said yielding means elsewhere than dia metrically opposite said butler-bar. I

11, In a umper, the combination of a buifer' bar, yielding, generally circular mem bers supporting said bar at s aced positions,

and means for attaching sai yielding members to a vehicle frame,'said attaching means comprising respective brackets each having one bifurcated end, the

parts of which are spread in opposite directions and secured to t 'eyielding member at 'circumferentially spaced points.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of Aug, 1927.

ltflR ZA J.-..WILSON. I 

